ORI2300 Lower Limb and Spinal Orthotics Course description

This course is based on the clinical work processes covered in ORI1000, ORI1300 and ORI2200 and is the third of four courses iadressing clinical and technical competence in the field of prostethics and orthotics. Knowledge from the courses anatomy, pathology and biomechanics is also used. The course primarily focuses on ankle foot orthoses (AFO) and knee ankle foot orthoses (KAFO), but also covers knee hip orthoses, spinal orthoses, brace treatment for scoliosis and individually adapted seating products, and wheelchairs as part of rehabilitation for all relevant diagnosis groups.

The students participate in the interprofessional teaching programme INTER 1200 ‘Communication with Children, Young people and their Families’ (1.5 credits). INTER1200 focuses on communication and interaction with children, young people and their families, and on how interprofessional work needs to be coordinated to strengthen the provision of services to the individual child. As in INTER1100, the students receive training in cooperating with students from other programmes of professional study on topics relating to the everyday lives of children and young people.

The student must have passed the first year of the programme or equivalent.

After completing the course and INTER1200, the student should have the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence (INTER1200 addresses the learning outcomes marked with an asterisk (*)):

Knowledge

The student

• has knowledge about the importance of appreciative communication with children, adolescents and their parents/guardians*
• can explain children and young people’s right to participation in decisions that concern them*
• can explain the importance of explorative approaches in cooperation with children and young people*
• can elaborate on the relationship between the anatomy, pathology, biomechanics and function of the lower limbs
• has knowledge of material technology and advanced use of composite materials, including joining different materials used in orthosis design
• can outline his/her knowledge of orthoses for children
• can explain functional and potential psychosocial consequences of disabilities
• can explain the structure of rehabilitation/habilitation services and the creation of individual plans

Skills

The student

• can carry out a conversation about everyday life with children and adolescents*
• can have appreciative communication with parents/guardians*
• can, with some supervision, prepare and reflect on orthopaedic follow-up plans for users in need of lower limb or spinal orthoses
• can carry out clinical functional analysis and relevant procedures for taking measurements, designing and customize lower limb and spinal orthoses
• can make critical assessments of biomechanical factors with a focus on ankle, knee and hip disabilities and link this to gait and orthosis design
• can assess biomechanical factors of importance to spinal orthoses and special seating
• can assess and propose measures relating to positioning in wheelchairs to prevent and treat pressure sores
• can use research articles and specialist literature to analyse topics relating to lower limb and spinal orthoses
• can prepare work descriptions and carry out technical processes applied in the production of lower limb and spinal orthoses

General competence

The student

• can reflect on their own role in explorative conversations with children, young people and their parent/guardians*
• can understand the importance of interprofessional cooperation with children, young people and their parents/guardians*
• can reflect on challenges associated with communication and interdisciplinary cooperation in relation to users in need of treatment with lower limb orthoses, spinal orthoses and/or special seating
• can document and communicate relevant clinical and biomechanical assessments in patient records and communicate such assessments orally
• can reflect on user perspectives, planning, implementation and the effect of treatment
• can reflect on the significance of motivating conversation when interacting with users

The work and teaching methods used vary between seminars, a clinical and technical module, lectures, digital resources, student cooperation and self-study.

The following coursework requirements must be met before the student can take the exam:

• a minimum attendance of 80 % at seminars and skills training
• an individual process description (clinical/technical) of 1,500 words (+/- 5%) based on the learning outcomes listed under ‘Skills’.

Coursework requirements for INTER1200: ‘Communication with Children, Young people and their Families’

• students must submit an individual log. Scope: 500 words (+/- 10%). In order to write the log, the student must first participate in a two-day seminar.

Individual oral exam, up to 30 minutes.

No aids permitted.

Grade scale A-F.

All the exams are assessed by an external and an internal examiner.

• 15 credits overlap with the course ORTO3100 Lower Limb and Spinal Orthoses.